In this issue…

  1. “PARTNERSHIPS THAT TRANSFORM” CONFERENCE: REGISTER NOW
  2. MISSIONS TODAY, BY THE NUMBERS
  3. YWAM DTS CREDIT TRANSFERS
  4. NEW MISSION TRIP RESOURCE AVAILABLE
  5. INDIA SUBCONTINENT TESOL OPPORTUNITIES
  6. LAUSANNE WORLD PULSE
  7. NEW BIBLE GAME: “WEEKLY BIBLE WORDOKU”
  8. JUST WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED: A MISSIONS *CRUISE*!
  9. CONNECT WITH THE GLOBAL CHURCH
  10. THE BACKPAGE: LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM “24”
  11. CLOSING STUFF
  1. “PARTNERSHIPS THAT TRANSFORM” CONFERENCE: REGISTER NOW — The 2006 COSIM conference is scheduled for June 12-14, 2006 at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. The theme is “Partnerships that Transform: Here and There.” COSIM stands for Coalition on the Support of Indigenous Ministries. Speakers include: Gary Edmonds: “From Missions-TO . . . to Missions-WITH” / “Faisal” — “Partnering with indigenous ministries for transformation: A non-Western perspective” / David Kasali: “Will the African Church be ready?” Gloria Landge: “Equipping Christian women in the majority world for their vital role in community transformation” / Dick Robinson: “Partnerships that transform our understanding of . . . mission, the gospel, and the world.” Also: how-to workshops on local church involvement, accountability, assessing your cross-cultural partnerships, etc. Visit the COSIM web site and download the fact sheet-registration form at:

    http://www.cosimnet.org . Or write to

    werner(at)mission1(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  2. MISSIONS TODAY, BY THE NUMBERS — Bill and Amy Stearns have studied the numbers and this is what they’ve come up with: –35,000: Total American missionaries (down from 65,000 in 1988) –99%: Those committing to mission service who never make it. –7: The usual years it takes for a wannabe missionary to actually go. –50%: Those missionaries who return before the end of their first term. –40,000: The missionary candidates stymied from going because they can’t raise financial support.

    There’s a lot wrong with this picture. So, Bill and Amy and others are cranking with MissionNext and The Finishers Project–seeing an average of 2 new mid-career missionaries placed with sending agency partners every week now. Something’s going right! Learn more from Bill & Amy at:

    http://www.BillAndAmyStearns.info

  3. YWAM DTS CREDIT TRANSFERS — Gretchen would like to compile a list of US accredited colleges and/or universities which have accepted some or all University of the Nations (UofN) credits associated with completing a YWAM DTS. If you have had credits successfully transferred, please e-mail Gretchen

    billandgretchen(at)juno(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding e-mail address, please replace (at with @ and (dot) with.] She needs to know the name of the US college or university, when you attended, how many credits were accepted, and the dates and location of the YWAM DTS attended. (She’ll report back to us later.)

  4. NEW MISSION TRIP RESOURCE AVAILABLE –- “TRIP STUFF: Stuff you need to know about Doing Mission Trips in Your Church” is a collection of 230 useful documents developed or used by local churches. It includes samples, forms, guidelines, procedures, policies, tips and hints— everything from Application Forms to Standards of Excellence. TRIP STUFF is available on CD in Microsoft Word for $24. Send a check for $24 (in U.S. funds) to ACMC, Box 221, Brownsburg, IN 46112. Request TRIP STUFF and include your postal address. See more details and the contents at

    http://www.davidmays.org/

  5. INDIA SUBCONTINENT TESOL OPPORTUNITIES — Volunteers are needed to teach English at a national teacher training school and to national teachers of English. Other opportunities include teaching within a national public and private school system at multiple levels. It requires English as your first language, a Bachelor degree and teaching English as a second language certificate. Enter ASAP. For more details contact director(at)devcorps(dot)org [As a means if preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  6. LAUSANNE WORLD PULSE — This monthly magazine is now available free online, and you can sign up for email notification of new issues. The April issue includes a major focus on web evangelism.

    http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com

  7. NEW BIBLE GAME: “WEEKLY BIBLE WORDOKU” — Each week, Cyberspace Ministry issues a new Wordoku, a fascinating Bible puzzle that you can receive by email. Find out more at

    http://www.tagnet.org/cyberspace/eng-word.html

    or email cybermin7(at)yahoo(dot)com

  8. JUST WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED: A MISSIONS *CRUISE*! — Discover the World of Possibilities on a Cruise Aug 18 – 24! Wycliffe is hosting a cruise to Discover opportunities all over the World. The time promises to be fun, rewarding, challenging, and spiritually revitalizing. Speakers who have worked all over the globe will share experiences and teach sessions throughout the six days. There will also be a children’s program covering different world cultures, crafts, and customs from different language groups. There will be fun activities for the whole family in addition to those offered by the cruiseline. There will also be opportunities for individuals across all ranges of giftings and trainings from IT, to Translation, to Management to consider. Wycliffe invites you to discover the possibilities with other believers. The cruise registration deadline is May 29.

    Graduate Credits for Teachers may be earned while taking ICO (International Children’s Education Orientation) on board the cruise ship Inspiration. For more information and to register contact mts travel at

    http://www.mtstravel.com/tours/ctourWTMK06.html

    or email orlando(at)mtstravel(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  9. CONNECT WITH THE GLOBAL CHURCH — The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) now produces a new monthly E-Newsletter. The WEA is a global network of 127 national alliances representing 420 million evangelical Christians. One of the goals of WEA is to keep evangelical Christians around the world connected, informed and resourced. If you want to keep up to date from a global perspective, go online

    http://worldevangelical.net/newsletter

    and view a sample copy of this bulletin and sign up to receive it every month. This month you can receive a free download of A Study Guide – Working Your Way to the Nations: A Guide to Effective Tentmaking. The general WEA website can be found at

    http://www.worldevangelicalalliance.com

  10. THE BACKPAGE: LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM “24” — OK… I admit it. I’m really enjoying “24” (the TV show). Hope you can view it where you live. I was slow to board the band wagon. What are we — in the 5th season, right? And I just started watching about 5 episodes ago. So… there are all these reflections on previous people that just lose me out… so what I’m having to do is gradually go back and watch the show from the very beginning! (I just finished season 2! :-) )

    Now… I’ll be honest… I turn my head during a lot of the really violent stuff and I can’t *stand* to watch any of the torture or threats against Kim. Yuck. I’m just not a big fan of violence. So why in the *world*, you say, am I watching 24?

    Good question. :-)

    Part of my admiration is based on the character of Jack Bauer. Another part is based on the character of David Palmer (the President — at least up until the end of season 2 that I just finished :-) ). And a third is all the “lessons learned” from the corruption in so many other people on the show.

    So what lessons am I drawing for missions? :-) Here’s one: I’m noticing that Jack is a man of action. (Duh. :-) ) He doesn’t shy away from a challenge. He doesn’t sit around and complain when one approach didn’t work. His mind clicks into gear to plan another… and he just keeps on struggling.

    But in just the same way that Jack is constantly saying, “I’m runnin’ outa time!” :-), I admire the patience and wisdom of President Palmer. (I know… I’m back in the dark ages of Season 2 still.) His willingness to wait . . . and wait . . . and wait on Jack to deliver evidence… is a testimony to a leader that has the endurance beyond the norm.

    Contrast all that integrity with the all the others… the double-no- good-for-nothing politicians who always seem to be hankering for oil money in the Caspian Sea or whatever… and all of a sudden, it pretty much sums up the tension between good and evil.

    Now for those of us working in missions, there are *lots* of applications. Let’s be like-minded to the “never-shy-away-from-a- challenge” mentality. Let’s be action-oriented, yet have the patience of Palmer when it’s necessary. Let’s speak the truth, weigh our choices against the best wisdom we can find, and for goodness sakes, let’s go save somebody’s life today — spiritually or otherwise.

    More lessons from 24 next week.

    Shew. My heart’s pounding already.

    Doug

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